I was recently thinking about how we (Modern American Christians) live in a time and place where we can declare ancient truths to people and it will match up with some of the things that are already in the back of their mind - either because of the family they grew up in, or the culture they grew up in, or simply because God gives us a conscience that understands some of His law (see Romans 2:15). What a privilege it is to reunite people with long lost truths.
Look at these two Old Testament passages where the reading of the Bible caused the hearers to have a strong response:
Look at these two Old Testament passages where the reading of the Bible caused the hearers to have a strong response:
“Hilkiah the high priest told Shaphan the court secretary, ‘I have found the book of the law in the Lord’s temple.’ …When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes.”
~ 2 Kings 22:8 & 11
“They read out of the book of the law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was read. Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.”
~ Nehemiah 8:8-9
In both cases, God’s word was being read aloud to people who had been somewhat enculturated to respect the Lord and (at least some of) His ways, but who hadn’t actually heard God’s words as they had been written down. And so, when the words of the Lord reached the ears of people who only knew a little bit about God, they were overwhelmed with emotions! They were unpleasant emotions at first (because the people realized how sinful they were), but they turned out to be good for the people in the long run.
This reminded me of an opportunity that many of us have in America right now. You see, while we are not in the exact same situations described in these texts, we arein a nation that is filled with people who have been somewhat enculturated to respect the Lord and (at least some of) His ways. Many people seem to know that there is a big God out there to whom they are accountable, but they haven’t actually heard many of His words.
I often noticed this back when I lived in Leesburg. It seemed that almost everyone I knew had a friend on drugs or an uncle in prison. The problem of sin was continually before them. And yet, at the same time, culturally, it was a somewhat “southern” city where a lot of people believed the Bible is a book from God (even if they never read it.)
What a joy it was to be able to share God’s truths with people who were ready to receive it (because they believed the Bible was the good book) and yet were hungry for it (because they only knew just a few verses.) It was a great opportunity to share the Word.
My point here is that I am guessing that there are several pockets of Ocala that are like that. Many of us are surrounded by people who know there exists some kind of God, and perhaps they even know and respect the few Bible verses that they are aware of. But they have no clue where to go next in their spiritual journey.
This applies to a significant number of older people who grew up in church but then drifted away in adulthood. It also might apply to a number of young people who are skeptical or ambivalent about the “progress” our country has made in the past forty years. Right now, it seems there are plenty of people in Gen Z who are unsure of all that they believe. However, because of the many ways the modern world has failed them, these people are open to more traditional ways of seeing the world. (Think of the younger people who are into things like the tradwife movement, or homesteading, or buying vinyl records, or classic barbershop grooming). Some of these people may not even be sure that God exists, but they would be intrigued if you showed them a Bible verse that changed your life!
When you and I are able to give someone a word from the Lord that is fitting to the situation at hand, we have the privilege of re-uniting people to long lost truths. These are truths that, perhaps, their grandparents believed, or that they heard about at a wedding or a funeral. These are truths that they are somewhat open to, but they haven’t heard very much about. They are truths from a long time ago, that can hit someone with powerful freshness if they are hearing them in their own generation for the first or second time.
Today, I wanted to point out that this is a privilege we get to partake in. It can happen when we invite people to church, introduce a neighbor to our community group/church friends, bring a buddy with us to youth group, or share the gospel and/or our testimony with a co-worker or friend.
This reminded me of an opportunity that many of us have in America right now. You see, while we are not in the exact same situations described in these texts, we arein a nation that is filled with people who have been somewhat enculturated to respect the Lord and (at least some of) His ways. Many people seem to know that there is a big God out there to whom they are accountable, but they haven’t actually heard many of His words.
I often noticed this back when I lived in Leesburg. It seemed that almost everyone I knew had a friend on drugs or an uncle in prison. The problem of sin was continually before them. And yet, at the same time, culturally, it was a somewhat “southern” city where a lot of people believed the Bible is a book from God (even if they never read it.)
What a joy it was to be able to share God’s truths with people who were ready to receive it (because they believed the Bible was the good book) and yet were hungry for it (because they only knew just a few verses.) It was a great opportunity to share the Word.
My point here is that I am guessing that there are several pockets of Ocala that are like that. Many of us are surrounded by people who know there exists some kind of God, and perhaps they even know and respect the few Bible verses that they are aware of. But they have no clue where to go next in their spiritual journey.
This applies to a significant number of older people who grew up in church but then drifted away in adulthood. It also might apply to a number of young people who are skeptical or ambivalent about the “progress” our country has made in the past forty years. Right now, it seems there are plenty of people in Gen Z who are unsure of all that they believe. However, because of the many ways the modern world has failed them, these people are open to more traditional ways of seeing the world. (Think of the younger people who are into things like the tradwife movement, or homesteading, or buying vinyl records, or classic barbershop grooming). Some of these people may not even be sure that God exists, but they would be intrigued if you showed them a Bible verse that changed your life!
When you and I are able to give someone a word from the Lord that is fitting to the situation at hand, we have the privilege of re-uniting people to long lost truths. These are truths that, perhaps, their grandparents believed, or that they heard about at a wedding or a funeral. These are truths that they are somewhat open to, but they haven’t heard very much about. They are truths from a long time ago, that can hit someone with powerful freshness if they are hearing them in their own generation for the first or second time.
Today, I wanted to point out that this is a privilege we get to partake in. It can happen when we invite people to church, introduce a neighbor to our community group/church friends, bring a buddy with us to youth group, or share the gospel and/or our testimony with a co-worker or friend.
Sometimes, it even gets emotional. In fact, the emotions might even be negative before they get positive. But what a privilege it is to reunite people to long lost truths.
